Freedom is a gift; it was bought for us. Our civil freedom is good. The constitution says We hold these Truths to be self-evident, that all Men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness. Endowed: given to us by God and our forefathers recognized this.
Freedom comes with great responsibility. The very word confuses many. Some say they have no responsibility to others; it’s their freedom and they can do whatever they want. However, there is a responsibility for keeping freedom. It is to be guarded and protected. In order to fulfil the responsibility, look to see if you are taking advantage of your freedom. Do you use it as an excuse to do what you want? It’s a sad state of being when people see bondage as freedom and freedom as bondage.
There is now a re-coloring of America that is very sad to us. Many, for example the media, misuse liberty to say what they want regardless of whether it’s wrong or right. How do we use it the wrong way?
I Peter 2:15 For so is the will of God, that with well doing ye may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men: 16 As free, and not using your liberty for a cloke of maliciousness, but as the servants of God. 17 Honour all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honour the king.
Here is the response to give when someone tries to exert their liberty over you. It’s not a contest. People can live how they want. Throughout history people have wanted to crush others. We’re not to be a fighting church. Remember we do not wrestle against flesh and blood. The Bible says For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. What’s behind the evil? Our enemy is the devil! Some believe it these days, but Christians are not the enemy. God will take care of his children.
We have freedom but our source is far greater. The Bible is our own bill of rights. All the documents of America are built on the precepts of the Bible. We used to be able to trust what was taught in school. We did growing up but now we can’t trust the curriculum. It’s written by people who don’t know God, including atheists. Our source is unchanging. By faith we respond to those who would come against us. Show them by our life the darkness they live in. When Sonny goes to the recovery meetings, he could go in with a ball bat, but no, he uses the Word of God to guide the hearts and lives of those attending.
We are to respond like verse 15 tells us. With well doing ye may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men. The more we argue, the worse it gets. We cannot debate with those in darkness. We put them to silence by well doing. They want to provoke us to “take the first swing.” Don’t. Verse 16 says as free, and not using your liberty for a cloke of maliciousness, but as the servants of God. We are free. We don’t have to argue or prove to anyone that the Bible is the Word of God. Just be a Christian! You’re free and don’t need to be entangled with them. We are to love and pray for them. Don’t use the freedom for a cloke of maliciousness. Jesus never saved us to be mean to the lost. Being saved is not a cloak, sort of like the Pharisees wore in Jesus’ day, to point them out and put them above others. We’re not goody-goody. Direct people to Jesus Christ not our own righteousness. True liberty is being yielded to God. Don’t let others use you; be led by God as his servant.
Because of verses 15 and 16 we can do four things given to us in the next verse: (1) honor (respect) all men; (2) love each other; (3) fear God remembering not to let the fear of man override our fear of God; (4) honor the king. I don’t agree with the President in all things, but I am to respect and honor him. The Bible tells us to pray for those in rule over us.
Use liberty to pray that America will find God again. If she ever comes back to God, it will be through his people living for him.
Adwolfe Freewill Baptist Church 